Spend your first day in Nassau familiarizing yourself with the city. In the morning, take the Queen’s Staircase to the top of Bennet’s Hill, the highest point on the island and a great place to get panoramic views. Also on the hill, 18th-century limestone Fort Fincastle is worth a quick visit for those interested in colonial or military history. Make your way down to the main strip—Bay Street—for lunch, perhaps stopping at the Straw Market to pick up local handicrafts along the way. In the afternoon, get some sun on nearby Cable Beach, a popular snorkeling spot. Stick around for sunset followed by dinner at one of the many beachfront restaurants and/or drinks at the sea-facing Baha Mar Casino.

Spend your second day on a boat tour out to the Exumas, a pristine archipelago where you can swim with (and feed) friendly swimming pigs that hang out on Big Major Cay. Many tours also include visits to Allen's Cay, where visitors can feed Bahamian rock iguanas, and Compass Cay, known for its nurse sharks. Stop for lunch at a local restaurant followed by an afternoon swimming and snorkeling. Most tours will have you back in time for dinner; depending on your energy levels, you may want to hop on another boat for a sunset dinner cruise or simply head to one of the lively restaurants along Nassau’s Bay Street for dinner.

Spend your last day visiting nearby Paradise Island, a quick boat ride from Nassau proper. Here you’ll find beautiful beachfront and warm water, but most visitors come for the famous Atlantis resort. This sprawling megaresort is home to a huge casino, an equally impressive aquarium, and the waterpark Aquaventure (book ahead as the water park can sell out). Along with a slew of water features, the park has nine slides, one of which passes next to a shark-filled tank. After the water park, head to the resort’s extensive aquarium (don’t miss its nighttime illumination), followed by dinner or games at the on-site casino.